December 15, 2019 3:52pm

What’s the theme for markets, face-saving way for the U.S. to show some progress on the trade talks?

However, the “numbers speak, the S&P 500 is up +26.4%, the Dow +20.6% and Nasdaq +31.6% for 2019

When you’re on a roller coaster, the only thing you can be sure of is you’ll end up back where you started

 

There is no breadline for share pricing and fact based intelligence!

 

The Dow closed UP +3.33 points (+0.01%), the S&P closed UP +0.23 points (+0.01%) and the NASDAQ closed UP +17.56 points (+0.20%)

 

The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology (IBB) and the SPDR S&P ETF (XBI) indicators:

  • Friday the IBB closed up +0.34% while the XBI closed up +0.54%
  • Thursday the IBB closed up +0.81% while the XBI closed up +0.57%
  • Wednesday the IBB closed down -0.62% while the XBI closed down -1.26%
  • Tuesday the IBB closed up +0.69% while the XBI closed up +1%
  • Monday the IBB closed down -0.62% while the XBI closed up +0.10%

 

The advance/decline line scenario of 45 covered companies:

  • Friday the close was negative with an A/D line of 16/24, 1 flat, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;
  • Thursday the close was positive with an A/D line of 27/14, 0 flat, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;
  • Wednesday the close was negative with an A/D line of 13/27, 1 flat, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;
  • Tuesday the close was positive with an A/D line of 22/17, 2 flats, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;
  • Monday the close was negative with an A/D line of 9/31, 1 flat, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;

 

Henry’omics:

Indexes were little changed on Friday after China and the U.S. agreed to a phase one trade deal as investors concluded a solid week of gains.

The trade deal will include a rollback of some of the China tariffs and halts additional levies set to take effect on Sunday. China agreed to significant purchases of U.S. agricultural products, but the amount is below what the White House was reportedly pushing to get. On the U.S. side, investors were hoping for more than just a partial rollback of some tariffs <CNBC>.

Indexes posted solid weekly gains in anticipation of the trade deal. The S&P 500 was up +0.7%, the NASDAQ +0.9%, as the Dow gained 0.4% this week.

As the sector slumped after speculative news of acquisition cooled as no new candidates emerged.

Hedge funds are "cleaning" their positions as 2019 edges to a close, taking profit on as many upside positions that enlisted share pricing “progresses.

 

Sorry for delay, kidney stone issue – not an easy few days!

 

Decliners:

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$2.87 after Thursday’s +$1.82 and Wednesday’s -$3.05);
  • BioMarin Pharmaceuticals (BMRN -$0.73 after Thursday’s +$2.13);
  • CRISPR therapeutics (CRSP -$0.67);
  • Intellia therapeutics (NTLA -$0.31);
  • Editas medicine (EDIT -$0.23);

Incliners:

  • bluebird bio (BLUE +$5.70 after Thursday’s -$2.92, Wednesday’s +$1.28 and Tuesday’s +$9.09);
  • uniQure (QURE +$5.09 after Thursday’s +$3.45);
  • Regenxbio (RGNX +$1.62);
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.83);
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX +$0.56);

 

The percentage (%) indicators:

  • Friday’s range of the 16 upside was +0.012% (RARE) to +7.39% () while the 24 downside ranged from -0.01% (GBT) to -6.66% (BLCM); 
  • Thursday’s range of the 27 upside was +0.46% (SGMO) to +7.31% (KOOL) while the 14 downside ranged from -0.12% (BOLD) to -14.92% (BLCM); 
  • Wednesday’s range of the 13 upside was +0.26% (BCLI) to +40.72% (BLCM) while the 27 downside ranged from -0.12% (BOLD) to -7.52% (ADVM); 
  • Tuesday’s range of the 22 upside was +0.% () to +% () while the 17 downside ranged from -0.51% (BLCM) to -12.17% (SGMO); 
  • Monday’s range of the 9 upside was +0.12% (BOLD) to +41.33% (FATE) while the 31 downside ranged from -0.12% (ONVO) to -11.58% (SGMO); 

 

Upside volume stats:  to compare

  • Friday: 7 out of the 16 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Thursday: 9 out of the 27 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Wednesday: 7 out of the 13 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Tuesday: 10 out of the 22 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Monday: 3 out of the 9 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;

Downside volume stats:

  • Friday: 7 out of the 24 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Thursday: 10 out of the 14 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Wednesday: 9 out of the 27 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Tuesday: 6 out of the 17 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Monday: 13 out of the 31 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;

 

1 flat – RENE.L with 1 reverse merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX), 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and Spark Therapeutics’ (ONCE) acquisition by Roche could be soon according to rumors from FTC by year’s end.

 

December’s sessions:

Friday closed NEGATIVE with 24 decliners, 16 advancers, 1 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Thursday closed POSITIVE with 14 decliners, 27 advancers, 0 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Wednesday closed NEGATIVE with 13 decliners, 27 advancers, 1 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Tuesday closed POSITIVE with 17 decliners, 22 advancers, 2 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Monday closed NEGATIVE with 31 decliners, 9 advancers, 1 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Friday closed POSITIVE with 9 decliners, 29 advancers, 3 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Thursday closed NEGATIVE with 31 decliners, 9 advancers, 1 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Wednesday closed POSITIVE with 13 decliners, 25 advancers, 4 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Tuesday closed POSITIVE with 12 decliners, 25 advancers, 4 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Monday closed NEGATIVE with 26 decliners, 19 advancers, 2 flats and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

 

Opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change, and not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, nor investment advice.

Whether information or intelligence is good, bad or somewhere in between; I put into context what is relevant and useful for investors.  All investments are subject to risks. Investors should consider investment objectives.

Henry McCusker, the editor and publisher of RegMed Investors does not hold or have positions in securities referred to in this publication.